The Book of Beginnings

© John Stevenson, 2009

Title for the BookTitle for the Book

• The Hebrew Title: BeReshyth; “In the Beginning”

• Greek Title: Genesis - “Beginnings”

““These are the generations…”These are the generations…”

• Hebrew: Elleh toledoth

• Ten sets

• History of account follows: “These are the things that followed…”

Adam Abraham Adam

Genesis 2:4 – 11:26 Genesis 11:27 – 50:26

5 Toledoth from Adam to Abraham

5 Toledoth fromAbraham to Israel

Genesis 1 - 11 Genesis 12 - 50Events Predominant

• Creation• Fall into sin• Flood• Tower of Babel

Persons Predominant• Abraham• Isaac• Jacob• Joseph

The human race as a whole

The family of Abraham

Over 2000 years Around 250 years

Beginning & EndingBeginning & Ending

• Genesis begins with God: Genesis begins with God: “In the “In the

beginning God created…”beginning God created…”

• Genesis ends with a corpse: Genesis ends with a corpse: “…in “…in

a coffin in Egypt”a coffin in Egypt”

Unformed UnfilledDay 1: Light Day 4: Light-bearers

(sun, moon, stars)

Day 2: Water & sky divided

Day 5: Fish & birds to fill water & sky

Day 3: Dry land & vegetation

Day 6: Land animals & man

Day 7: Sabbath Rest

Genesis 1:26-27The God said, “Let Us make man

in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. (Genesis 1:26-27).

Genesis 1:26-27God blessed them; and God said

to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:28).

– In the Image of God

– Federal Headship

– Stewardship and a basis for Ecology

Genesis 1The heavens and the

earth are created in six days.

Genesis 2Creation of the man and woman (no time element mentioned).

Panorama of creation as a whole

Detailed focus on one aspect of creation

Centers on God creating the heavens

and the earth

Centers on man as the crowning act of God’s

creation

Creation complete: Heavens & earth created; God finished His work (1-3)

Man created: Formed from dust (4-9)

Trees & Rivers in garden given names (9-14)

Man assigned task of guarding & keeping the garden (15)

Forbidden fruit (16-17)

Man in need of a helper: not good to be alone (18)

Animals in garden are given names (19-20)

Woman created: Formed from rib (21-24)

Creation complete: Man & woman naked & unashamed in presence of God (25)

Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent

Abel & SethCain

Lamech

Enoch

Noah

ShemHam

AbrahamCanaan

JudgmentAdam & Eve cast out

of the garden.

Way of SalvationRedemption promised

through the seed of the woman.

Cain banished for murdering his brother.

God marks Cain so none will take vengeance.

Flood brought upon the earth.

Eight souls saved in the ark.

Languages confused and nations dispersed.

Abraham to be a blessing to the nations.

The First Three PatriarchsThe First Three Patriarchs

• Each is given a series of promises– A Seed– A Land– A Blessing– A Blessing to the nations

• Each lives as an alien in the land

• Each has a barren wife who gives birth

• Each deals with rivalry among his sons

Ur

Haran

Genesis 15 &The Covenant Ceremony

“To Cut a Covenant”

The Isaac NarrativeThe Isaac Narrative• His name: “Laughter”His name: “Laughter”

• The offering of Isaac: The offering of Isaac: “Take now “Take now your son, your only son, whom you your son, your only son, whom you love, Isaac, and go to the land of love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you.” mountains of which I will tell you.” (Genesis 22:2).(Genesis 22:2).

The Jacob NarrativeThe Jacob Narrative

• His name: “Heel-grabber”

• The Birthright.

• The Blessing.

• Jacob’s Ladder.

• Sojourn in Haran.

Haran

The Jacob Narrative

• His name: “Heel-grabber”• The Birthright.• The Blessing.• Jacob’s Ladder.• Sojourn in Haran.• The Esau Incident

The Joseph StoryThe Joseph Story• A problem of favoritismA problem of favoritism

• Deception with garments and Deception with garments and a goata goat

• Departure from the landDeparture from the land

• Egypt in the days of JosephEgypt in the days of Joseph

• Joseph’s ImprisonmentJoseph’s Imprisonment

• Joseph’s ExaltationJoseph’s Exaltation

• Israel’s Entrance into EgyptIsrael’s Entrance into Egypt

A Pattern of Israel’s A Pattern of Israel’s PurposePurpose

• Altars & Worship

• A Sense of Purpose

• Unity

• Racial & Religious Purity

Seed of the WomanSeed of the Serpent

Ishmael Isaac

Abraham

JacobEsau

Whose Seedare You?